Martin’s Lane Dehart Pinot Noir 2019

Set high above Lake Okanagan facing west into the setting sun, Dehart Vineyard in East Kelowna was eleven years old in 2019. It is planted to clone 777 and a smaller amount of 667 that are all co-fermented in concrete with up to 60 percent whole bunches over 32 days. Gentle, gentle, gentle remains the mantra, and while hardly a shy pinot, it is among the most delicate made at Martin’s Lane. It tends to be a bit reductive when opened, offering up a mix of earthy floral red blossoms, so give it plenty of time in the decanter if you are drinking it now. It is mouth filling but silky on the palate, offering refinement and polish throughout. 2019 is the first year it is certified organic, resulting in quicker healthy ferments and more complex flavours. At 13.2 percent alcohol, this is a delicious drop of pinot noir that will age well into 2028. Score – 92. (Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com, Dec. 21, 2022)